Vows
by sei-hikaru
Summary: Set during feudal Japan, an arranged marriage is set between Enishi and Kaoru. The story explores how they would acquaint themselves with each other and their own pasts.


Vows

Notes: This was meant to be a one-shot but I got carried away. ;-D So, as it is, I'm posting this first part up and there will be either one or two more parts coming. It's not an epic- it was supposed to be short in the first place. Comments are definitely welcomed!

This first part has lime to lemon contents which aren't that strong in flavour. (not sure if anyone understood that) There, I think that's warning enough. To be safe, it's just not for kids. Alritey then, on with the story!

Btw, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of their characters. If the day does come that I get so lucky, I'll come back and change this disclaimer. wishful thinking

Part 1

---

Weddings were generally a dull ceremony filled with stifling rules and hidden meanings that he hadn't the care to decipher. He didn't like the sombre tone that the occasion held, nor did he appreciate the fact that his marriage would be more important to his family than it would to him. He didn't like the slow movement of everyone during the ceremony nor did he enjoy the long moments where his legs cramped from having to complete rituals he didn't believe in. More or less, he hated the whole idea of what wedding entails except for the final results.

That he would be married.

Yukishiro Enishi looked at the still form of his new wife. He had only seen her twice before- once at a meeting to assess her worthiness and another at their engagement ceremony. Both times, her face was positioned submissively sweet and he hadn't been able to look at her properly. It was a good thing that trade had taught him to take in more than what was given at first sight. From those two meetings, he had caught glimpses of the girl that she had unwillingly slipped.

He fought the twitch of a smirk that wanted to come on his face as he watched her eyes storm as they met his.

That was, reason number one- she was not as submissive as her act presented her to be. He had noticed that though she moved with a practiced grace, that she casted herself into the traditional, obedient bride-to-be, she had always kept her eyes down. At first, it might have just been because it was proper to do so. But then, the first time she had ever risen her eyes to meet his for a fracture of a moment, he noticed that they glimmered with restrained rebellion.

It had definitely piqued his curiosity, to say the least.

Enishi settled into moving with the crowds, following the priests as they marched through the holy grounds, always aware of his partner's presence next to him. The girl was decidedly sombre today and did not have any of that controlled joy that her parents' aura practically reeked into the air. It seemed as if though she was genuinely not pleased with being married to him.

He wanted to smile again at that thought because he had definitely put his foot down that should his parents want him to marry, he would only marry this girl and no one else. They hadn't been too pleased that she was not as rich as they wanted her to be but neither was she below their status, thus, they couldn't really find a valid argument against his choice.

Enishi, being the only son of Lord Yukishiro and the heir to his vast estates and trades, could afford to be adamant in the choice of his bride. If they wanted his full cooperation, than they had to allow him to choose to his own liking.

He hadn't noticed that they had breezed through the reception and he was now being led back to the bridal chamber with his newlywed wife. She walked with an almost sluggish pace next to him, he noticed that she looked slightly apprehensive when entering the chambers and was eyeing the marriage bed with a look of distaste. As soon as their escorts had left the room, she turned to him, the hem of her kimono sashaying slightly at her sudden movements. And for that brief second, he saw the second and last reason he had chosen her above all his either choices.

Even with those robes and mountainous piles of padding and materials that were supposed to hide the feminine figure, he could still notice the sensuous curves that came about from her moves. Her face was definitely a vision to behold and it was even more captivating that she did not seem to notice her own beauty. He had decided that he could live with this sort of woman, that he could learn to enjoy her company and that maybe, just maybe, life would not be too dull in his home.

For the moment, he watched as her eyes took him in slowly and was amused at how her eyes reflected each and every thought that flickered through her mind.

She was definitely weary of him. The creases between her eyebrows told him that much. She did find him appealing to the eyes though, as she didn't give a shiver of detest when her gaze swept over his face. She seemed to continuously be taken aback by the shock of his white hair but covered her reaction almost immediately. And she was definitely, most definitely, attracted to him- even if she clearly did not want to be.

He leaned back against a table lazily, extending a hand towards her, beckoning her nearer to him.

He smirked at the flash in her eyes and chuckled to himself.

'Kamiya Kaoru doesn't like to be owned.'

---

She didn't want to marry Yukishiro Enishi. Truth be said, she was surprised that he had been interested in her at all. Given his position and rank among the lords, he could have had a much more lovely and truly dutiful wife. But no, he was stuck with her – a charade of what a woman was supposed to be.

Kaoru eyed the hand that gestured for her to go to him. She knew this type of men. They wanted submission and compliancy and nothing else. When he called, she heeled. She felt the first bouts of her nerves beginning to fray as she struggled to remain composed.

She took the few steps to close the distance between them as she placed her hand in his.

"Kaoru," his voice murmured.

Kaoru was a little shaken by the roll of his voice on her skin. She had heard him speak before but never had he spoken in such tones. She felt a strange sort of shiver run through her being, and she wondered if she should fear him.

He chuckled, as if he could have read her thoughts.

"No, my dear," his hand gripped hers and pulled her against his frame, "I do not want you to fear me. That is why I chose you and not another."

She swallowed the lump in her throat that had developed when she had been pressed against him.

"Yukishiro-sama..."

"When you are alone with me, you will address me by my name." Her husband smirked again, he seemed incapable of smiling properly. "As I will yours."

"Enishi...," she felt uncomfortable calling a man she had only just begun to know by his given name, "Enishi."

Repeating his name gave her some semblance of calm and she extracted her body from him long enough to gather her wits again. She stared him straight in the eyes, not feeling any better when he regarded her with open amusement.

"I must tell you several things before we begin our lives together." Kaoru took in a deep breath and plundered on, afraid that if she stopped, she would lose her courage. "I'm not calm. I'm rarely ever graceful and I don't like to be ordered around. I have an unpredictable temper and I cannot cook very well. The person that you've seen before had been cleverly crafted by many artists who were determined that I posed as a lady. I'm sorry that I have deceived you and though I might not live up to your expectations, I will try, in my own ways, to be a...an acceptable wife."

She was astonished that instead of the disapproval she expected from him, her husband pulled her close again and closed his lips on hers. Her mind went blank temporarily, unsure of how to respond to such a touch. He was touching his lips to hers in a way that almost hurt, it seemed as if though he was trying meld their mouths together. The sensation wasn't unpleasant, actually, she was starting to feel a warm sort of feeling grow inside her.

Instinctively, her hands sought the lapels of his yukata jacket and held on as his lips continued to press against her.

He broke away after a few moments. She looked up at him unsteadily, noticing how his eyes were glinting slightly as he searched her face. She also saw that her rouge had transferred to his lips and the color was tempting against the grave paleness of his skin and the monotony of his attire.

Kaoru wondered if she had displeased him somehow and tiptoed the best she could to raise herself to his height. She tried to mimic the kiss he had given her, her mouth drinking in the rouge that she had left on his skin. She felt that he tasted good and leaned in to try to have some more, her hands fisting into his yukata.

---

Enishi was looking in wonder at his new wife, who seemed to be taking in the feelings of her first kiss. He wasn't sure how to proceed, except he knew that he just had to proceed, when she had surprised him by returning the kiss. Tentatively and agonizingly innocent in her tasting of his skin.

He groaned against her touch and pulled her away. She looked hurt and questions flew threw her expressive eyes as she went still in his grasp.

"You will be more than just acceptable, Kaoru." Enishi spoke softly, leaning in to place a kiss near her ears. He felt her breath catch and reached up to hold her face as he stole another kiss from her lips.

He held her away at arm's length and she stood still, waiting for his move.

---

He circled her slowly, making her agitated with his silence. Kaoru didn't think she liked the way he seemed to give off a predatory air as he took her in, almost feasting with his eyes.

Her husband, Enishi – the name sounded foreign, even in her thoughts – came closer and his hands worked the clasp on her obi. She felt a stab of panic and took a step back hurriedly, her eyes narrowing at his forwarding steps.

"I can undress myself." She said evenly, her tone masking her nervousness and anger at needing to be undressed by a stranger.

"The first rule you have to learn, anata," he spoke the endearment with an ironic edge to it, "Is that though you are free to be yourself, I still expect you to heed my words. To trust in my judgments that I won't harm you in any way."

Kaoru gulped as he approached her, his walk like a tiger on a prowl.

"I just don't see the need for you to undress me." Kaoru was stubborn in her tone.

A sly smile flicked onto his lips.

"Oh, but I do." His hands were on her obi and they deftly worked the long train of material off of her bridal kimono. He dropped the obi onto the floor and reached up to unpin the wig that hid her hair.

"This really isn't necessary." She argued, though she was standing still. "It's just a bother to you—"

"It's no bother at all." He said this dismissively as he took out the uncountable number of pins from her hair, allowing her tresses to fall down freely to her waist. "My pleasure, actually."

He continued his work, pushing off the heavy outer layer of her kimono before taking off the silky layers beneath it until she was standing in a translucent under-kimono and her tabi. She felt strangely uncomfortable in just her sheer undergarments.

"I think that's enough for now." Enishi spoke up, forcing her attentions back on him. "Don't want to leave you cold in nothing."

He pulled her close to him again and due to the lack of layers, she could now feel the warmth that came from his skin seep slowly into hers. He placed her hands on his yukata and gave that incorrigible smirk again.

"Since you had wanted to undress so much, I'll let you do the honors this time." Enishi stood still and took in her undisguised shocked expression.

"Un-undress you?" Her voice sounded incredulous. "B-But..."

"Don't worry." Enishi leaned in and kissed her lips again. "Just trust me."

Trust this stranger? Kaoru looked at the man who looked like he could gobble her up whole and thought it unwise to trust such a person. He may be her husband but it would be a cold day in hell before she would put her trust in him.

Swallowing visibly, her hands shook slightly as she began to slide off the jacket from his shoulders. She watched as the garment fell to the floor in a quiet heap and bit her bottom lip as she proceeded to undo his yukata.

The skin of her hands brushed against his chest and she held her breath as she mirrored her earlier movements and pushed it off of his body. With the top half of his form exposed, she couldn't help but pause in her works and gape at the long lean muscles of his arms and the broad expanse of chest that seemed too warm for the touch. She let curiosity overcome her as she placed a hand experimentally on his abdomen, noticing his sharp intake of air. Emboldened by his reaction, she slowly worked her hands through his chest, savouring the intriguing way his skin seemed to melt to her palm in a sweeping heat.

"I think we can stop there for now."

Before Kaoru had a chance to say or think anything else, he had roughly pushed her bodily onto the bed, tumbling onto her and starting the onslaught of kisses.

---

Her curiosity was her own undoing. Her touch had reminded him what he had sought out to do in the first place and he fell onto her on the bed. Adjusting his weight so that he wouldn't crush her, he kissed her lips than trailed his lips down the creamy expanse of her offered throat, licking and nipping at her soft skin.

Her hand was on his shoulders, holding onto him for dear life. Her lips were murmuring incoherent words, moaning at his touch, her body opening to receive his attentions.

Enishi knew that she wouldn't be a bore in bed- she wouldn't lie still and watch him with cold eyes- she would be responsive and willing to his touches. He proved his point by cupping her breasts through her thin undergarment, a sharp gasp and a hand went up against his chest, stilling his movements momentarily.

It was with great effort he looked up to her face, wondering why the hand that was obviously holding him away was also shaking like a leaf against a turbulent wind.

Her eyes seemed fearful and unsure. He felt himself ease against her, propping himself up so that he could look down into her eyes. He moved to give sweeping kisses over her nose, her eyelids, her forehead and both her cheeks. When he raised himself up again, she looked slightly less terrified.

"We're...you...," Kaoru visibly gulped but was still trying to put on a brave front, "We're... going to...ah...consummate our marriage, aren't we?"

Enishi felt like laughing, despite his growing arousal at the situation. She spoke the word 'consummate' as if though it was a deadly disease that she was sure she was going to be infected with. He felt a stronger desire to pleasure her, wanting to erase her doubts that there would be only bliss in his bed and nothing to fear.

"That's a way to put it." Enishi bit back a growl when he felt her body move against his hardness. He saw her eyes widen a fraction and decided to clear a few things up. "Listen, if you can't trust me in anything else, trust me in this. It'll be better if you allow yourself to be put in my hands. I can't guarantee that it won't hurt since it's your first time, but I'll try my damndest to make sure I make it'll feel just as good for you as it does for me."

Kaoru shifted in his arms again, looking up at him with wariness in her eyes. Her expression softened and she raised her arms, wrapping them around his neck.

"I guess here's a place as good as any to start trusting you." She spoke quietly, almost shyly as she held his gaze.

He smiled at that and came down on her lips, starting a slow dance that started a yearning between both their bodies. Though it felt like a sadistic form of torture, he willed himself to slow himself down. He took his time removing her last piece of clothing, running his fingers across her bare skin, allowing her body to familiarize with his touch. She whimpered at his caresses, her blunt nails digging into the back of his shoulders as she arched against him, unknowingly pleading for more.

Enishi bit back a smile, his hardness stirring with every sound she made. Her eyes were fluttering open and close, not really focusing on anything. His fingers traced figurines across her stomach, distracting her senses momentarily before his lips found the peaks of her breasts.

"Enishi!" 

Her body seemed to jump off the bed but his hand on her stomach firmly pushed her back down, keeping her in place as he continued to twirl and lick her nipples with agonizing slowness. His free hand reached for her other breast, teasing her bud into a peak. He felt her hands shift from his shoulders to his hair, clutching at his strands with incredible force.

"Enishi" Her voice was a broken spasm, her breath ragged as he continued lapping on her.

Lifting himself away from her chest, he kissed her flushed face and grinned down at her.

"Would you like me to stop?" His voice was husky and low, commanding her attention.

She looked at him incredulously. Her hands still gripping his hair, she pushed his head back to her chest.

"No!"

Enishi chuckled at her forcefulness and kissed the tips of her breasts, earning a slight mewl from her lips. He left her breasts again and she murmured a sound of protest before she gave a shudder and a start when his lips descended just below her navel.

"Enishi?" Her voice sounded hesitant.

"Don't worry, anata," Enishi murmured through his trail of kisses, "Just lay back and enjoy."

---

She wasn't too sure if she could really do that when his mouth was so close to a part of her that she herself was not acquainted with. She was starting to wonder if she could follow through on this whole 'consummating' process when suddenly, all thoughts were erased from her mind. She felt a numbing shock go through from deep inside her and her hands involuntarily reached for the sheets, clutching onto them for dear life.

"Enishi!"

She could feel his tongue trace outlines against the petals of her womanhood, wetting her and making her drip from the inside out. She choked back a scream when she felt his teeth graze against a sensitive bud and then completely forgot herself and cried out when he closed his lips on her and suckled gently.

Her body was tense and her knees moved up as if trying to shift her position. Her hands were clutched to sheets that kept her in place, creating rioting sensations that were continuously exploding within her.

Just as she was teetering on the edge and was about to fall over, her skin came to contact with a light breath of air and she shivered as she felt him position himself above her.

Kaoru had to use all her energy to open her eyes. The sight of Enishi, her husband, his lips slightly swollen and his eyes glinting dangerously wicked as he looked at her, stole her breath away.

"Don't leave me just yet, anata," his voiced teased her.

Her vision blurred as he came down to kiss her with restrained passion. His lips pressed down gently but with enough pressure to make her return his kiss. He sighed against her and pressed closer, kissing her mouth fully. She felt a start when his lips probed to enter her mouth and then abandoned all thought as she allowed him in, basking in the maleness of his taste.

When the kiss broke, she sighed and murmured dreamily,

"Kenshin..."

---

Nothing would break someone out of their lust-filled daze than the sound of someone else's name on their lover's lips.

Enishi retreated from her roughly, staring down at her with accusing eyes.

'Who the hell is Kenshin?!' Was all that kept pounding into his head.

Her eyes slowly came to focus and he saw when she started to realize her mistake. Her pupils dilated and she licked her lips self-consciously, her forehead creasing with guilt.

"Ah-...," Kaoru paused and suddenly sat up quickly. "I'm so sorry! I'm so--!"

He pushed her back down and glared at her. That promptly shut her up immediately. His breathing became hard and labored as he contemplated his furious train of thoughts.

'A friend? A boyfriend? A lover?' Enishi all the words jumbled inside of him as he watched her face contort into remorse as she lay still beneath him.

He kissed her again, brutally this time, as if though to punish her lips for daring to speak another man's name. She whimpered frightfully but tried to gentle the kiss, albeit unsuccessfully.

"Enishi? I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I'm sorry..." Her voice was lost to him as he continued to glare down at her.

'Had she been lying?' He continued to think furiously. 'She had had another lover before this? An act?!'

All rationale leaving his mind, he plunged himself within her in one hard stroke. He barely registered her piercing pain-filled scream as he worked himself in and out of her in a frenzy, accusing thoughts whirling through him.

Release came abruptly and quickly, his seed spilling inside of her before he realized what was happening.

Blinking and retreating from her body, he noticed the tears that were flooding her face for the first time.

Realization sank in.

"Kaoru?" He called her name tentatively, afraid of the truth of what he had done.

Her eyelashes were wet as they lifted and he saw that she was still crying. His heart, or something that was akin to a heart inside of him, twisted.

"I'm sorry...," she whispered, sounding sincerely guilty and afraid, "He was someone close..." She closed her eyes and shook her head, "I had a crazy crush on him..." She bowed her head and continued, "...they were stupid feelings... I'm so sorry... I wasn't...I'm not...I'm really sorry..."

Her voice was anguished.

He smoothed down her hair as he moved away from her. It was then that he noticed her blood on him and on their sheets. He felt something punch the air out of him as he realized that he had basically broken his promise to never hurt her. His irrationality, the rage of jealousy had stolen his mind and had turned him into a barbarian.

He couldn't believe he doubted her innocence.

Enishi walked over to a stand where there was a wash basin and a warm towel ready for use. He was brooding in his thoughts when he saw her move from the corner of his eye.

"Don't move just yet." Enishi heard himself say as he brought the towel and basin over to their bed. "You should rest for the moment."

He watched as she lay back down, her arms moving as if to cover herself. Enishi placed the basin and towel on the side of the bed and helped cover her with his own discarded yukata. She gave him a small smile before yelping when he moved between her legs.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was slightly hoarse and alarmed.

"I need to wash you. Just stay still, this won't take long." Enishi paused than added as an afterthought, "It won't hurt."

She didn't look as if she believed him but she did as she was told, closing her eyes tightly.

He dampened the cloth and wiped away the traces of blood against her skin. She shuddered a bit but made no other noise. Chastising himself for his earlier brutal treatment of his wife, he made extra effort to be gentle as he helped clean her body.

"I guess I don't have the right to promise you anything anymore, do I?" Enishi spoke up, his voice bitter.

She opened her eyes and gave a small encouraging smile.

"You did say it would hurt at first."

"It didn't have to be that way." Enishi sounded even more angry at himself. "I could have made it easier on you but I was thinking too much about why you called out that name and..."

"It's not just your fault." Kaoru piped in, rising to a sitting position despite his protests. "It was an accident but it was also insensitive of me to be calling someone else's name in your presence. I suppose I deserved a little of that."

"No one deserves that kind of treatment." Enishi muttered to himself, still mad that he had lost control of the situation.

---

Kaoru actually smiled at his words. She had hated him at hurting her body so much that she was glad she was ordered not to move. She didn't know how she was going to get around to walking again- the area between her legs felt as if it had been torn and stretched and it was still slightly stinging from the experience.

But his words had made her feel somewhat better. He was sorry, though he hadn't really spoken the words. Than again, a man never really had to apologize to anyone so, feeling sorry was as good as it was ever going to get.

Kaoru reached out to touch Enishi's face and saw him look at her in surprise.

"Thank you." Kaoru meant it sincerely, knowing that he didn't need to be apologetic towards her at all.

She saw how his face turned dark and then earnest as he spoke up.

"It will be better next time. I hope you'll take my word for it." Enishi looked at her kindly, leaning into her touch.

She couldn't really say that she wasn't really looking forward to a 'next time' but decided to just smile and nod along to his words. He meant well and she had been awfully stupid to have mentioned Kenshin's name.

Thinking about Kenshin got her depressed.

"Let's sleep. We've had a long day." Enishi suggested.

"That sounds good." Kaoru agreed.

Being wrapped in his warm arms, she felt herself grow sleepy. Closing her eyes she reminded herself that she needed to see Kenshin one last time to settle the matter once and for all. If not, this incident might be happening all over again.

Kaoru shuddered at the thought and pushed it away. She snuggled closer to Enishi's body and let herself drift off to sleep.

---


End file.
